How To Care For Sex Toys
To determine how to properly care for your toys, you need to know exactly what they are made of. It can be porous or non-porous. Porous materials - for example, a mixture of silicone and polyvinyl chloride - are used to make realistic dildos and male masturbators. They imitate a living body, are hypoallergenic and very pleasant to the touch, but they are quite capricious in cleaning. They can be washed with mild soap, but do not be diligent: this can damage them. It is better to use a special toy cleaner - such a cleaner is often sold with the device. After washing, the toy should be wiped with a soft dry cloth and allowed to dry. Ideally, if this happens in the bathroom: there is less chance that even micro-particles of dust will settle on the device. After that, the device must be sprinkled with special talcum powder or powder and put into a cloth bag.
Caring for toys made of gel and polyvinyl chloride requires no less effort (for example, a clitoral pump or stimulants are made from this material). Such devices are susceptible to silicone-based lubricants (it is very difficult to wash it off the toy later), high temperatures (that is, in no case should it be doused with boiling water) and antiseptics containing alcohol. There are also pluses: you can wash such toys with soap.
The easiest way to care for sex toys made from non-porous materials - for example, 100% medical grade silicone, stainless steel, varnished wood, borosilicate glass. They are easy to clean with the soap you use for yourself. Better without perfume - it doesn't matter, but who knows what happens if the smell of lavender grease mixes with the residual flair from citrus soap. Toy cleaning experts also advise not to neglect progress and wash steel and silicone toys in the dishwasher without cleaning agents. Ten minutes - and the hot steam will do its job: the bacteria have died, the toy can be dried and put into a velvet bag with brushes. Important: Make sure your toy is waterproof before putting it in the dishwasher.
How to store toys correctly
Usually a case or bag is included with the toy. Can be stored directly in them, they are usually beautiful as well. But any canvas, silk or velvet bag or cosmetic bag will do. The main thing is not to forget to wash them from time to time: even if you clean the toys themselves regularly, there are probably bacteria in the apartment. Speaking of bacteria, they thrive best in an airtight space. That is, a package from a pharmacy will not work - a cosmetic bag is better.
If you only have one sex device and it is convenient for you to keep it close at hand, you can even store it on your bedside table. Just remember to wash it before using it. Dust, hair, cat fur - you probably don't want it to be in you. Sex therapist says that toys made of porous materials can be stored both in a bathroom cabinet and in a drawer for underwear, but before that, you should remove washing powder, aromatic oils and perfumes - this can damage the sex device and cause irritation on the body. If this is a battery-powered vibrator, then it is also better to exclude the bathroom from storage places. And places near the batteries too. But even in this case, it is better to remove the batteries from it and keep them separately.
Gel toys, devices made of latex, thermoplastic elastomer and polyvinyl chloride are best stored separately, when stored together, they can stick together and leave stains on each other. The 100% silicone vibrators can be stored together so nothing will happen to them. But realistic dildos after cleaning and drying - only in an individual bag and only in a place protected from heat and sunlight.
When is it time not to wash, but to throw away
If you take care of a sex toy precisely according to the instructions and store it correctly, it will last long enough. The shortest of all is the service life of devices made of porous materials: even a very high-quality toy cleaner does not completely clean it. If stains appear on the toy or it smells strange, then it's time to change it.
Another common and frustrating reason for the shortened lifespan of silicone and gel sex devices is pets, which perceive the toy as something to chew on. If the pet has attached teeth or claws to the device, alas, the device will have to be thrown away: a breeding ground for bacteria forms in scratches and damage. The same applies to toys made of wood, glass or stone: even small chips make their further use unsafe.